When Consistency Costs Too Much

Why Taking a Pause Felt So Difficult

Last week, I shared that I’m pausing the Podcasting Morning Show through the end of August.

I explained how overwhelmed and anxious I’d become while trying to manage the show, iRonick Media, Empowered Podcasting, and everything happening in my personal life. I knew I needed space before I reached complete burnout.

Since sharing that announcement on the show, in this newsletter, and on social media, I’ve been thinking more deeply about why taking a break felt so difficult.

I keep coming back to one word: consistency.

Consistency is one of the most common pieces of advice given to podcasters and content creators. Keep showing up. Keep publishing. Don’t miss a week. Build trust with your audience and prove that they can depend on you.

I’ve shared similar advice many times myself.

Hosting the Podcasting Morning Show consistently made me feel dependable, disciplined, successful, visible, respected, and important within the podcasting community.

It was also my way of leading by example. I believed that if I could host a morning show for podcasters and content creators five days a week, other podcasters could find a way to publish their shows consistently too.

The thought of pausing brought up a lot of fear.

I worried that I’d lose my audience and the community we’ve built. I worried that I’d lose the unique edge that comes with hosting a frequent morning show specifically for podcasters and content creators. I also feared that I might get lost among all the other podcast producers and podcasts about podcasting.

Those fears made me feel like I had to keep going at all costs.

Eventually, the cost became too high.

The Danger of Showing Up at All Costs

I was having sleepless nights filled with anxiety about the show, my businesses, and my personal life.

I began prioritizing the show over almost everything else. Little by little, I started sacrificing other responsibilities and important areas of my life because I was so determined to keep the show going.

That’s where I believe consistency can become dangerous.

Creator culture praises consistency so heavily that many people feel guilty or ashamed when they need to slow down. We’re told how important it is to maintain momentum, serve our audiences, and keep publishing.

We’re rarely given a clear definition of what healthy consistency looks like.

As a result, many creators define it as publishing week after week, or in my case, day after day, regardless of what it’s costing them.

There’s some truth to the fear that slowing down can affect your momentum. If you disappear for a long time, your audience may change and your community may become less engaged.

There’s also a danger in showing up consistently tired, overworked, anxious, and potentially resentful.

Your audience will eventually feel that too, consciously or subconsciously. Your enthusiasm fades. Your creativity suffers. The work becomes less enjoyable, and the quality of what you’re creating can suffer along with it.

Consistency alone doesn’t guarantee growth.

Before pushing yourself to publish another episode, it may help to zoom out and take stock of everything you consider important.

Is your business suffering?

Is your personal life suffering?

Is your mental health suffering?

Is the show itself beginning to suffer?

Do you still enjoy creating it, or has it become a chore you feel obligated to complete?

Which parts of your podcast still bring you joy?

Those questions can reveal whether your commitment is still serving you and your audience.

Redefining Consistency

I’m beginning to see consistency differently.

Consistency is continuing to honor what matters over time, while regularly checking whether the way you’re showing up remains healthy, effective, and sustainable.

That definition leaves room to adjust your schedule, change your approach, or pause when your mental health, work, relationships, or creativity begin to suffer.

A pause can protect your ability to return with renewed energy and a clearer sense of purpose.

I’m only about a week into my pause from the Podcasting Morning Show, so I don’t have a finished success story or a grand conclusion to share. I’m still figuring this out.

I can tell you that I’m already sleeping much better. I’m approaching my work with iRonick Media and Empowered Podcasting with more energy, enthusiasm, creativity, and stronger problem-solving skills.

I’m also continuing to serve my community.

I’m writing articles like this one and sharing them through the show’s website and this newsletter. I’ll continue posting on social media occasionally. I’m also building Empowered Podcasting 3, which is now only a few weeks away.

Consistency can take different forms. Connection with your community can continue even when your usual schedule changes.

Ultimately, you have to sit quietly with yourself and ask whether you genuinely believe what you’re doing is working.

I believe we often have the answers we need. We have to create enough space to hear them and learn to trust what our intuition is telling us.

I’m still listening. I’m still learning. I’m still exploring what consistency will look like for me moving forward.

For now, I know that showing up for my community also requires taking care of the person doing the showing up.